Gene Expression, Super Structures and a Farm Scene ...

In our Selected Topics in Science, we are continuing our physics unit with our Super Structure Lab.  We are studying buildings and building techniques/material with respect to the force of gravity.  Below are some of the groups working on their structures.  Student groups of 2-3 are building a structure made of popsicle sticks ... 8" tall weighing only 34 grams (about 24 sticks), with a 2" or larger center to allow a 2" pipe to pass through.  There are some rules for laminations and only wood glue is used to attach the pieces together.

 

 



In Computer Programming I, both classes are have finished their farm scenes with programmed animation.  Their farm scenes must include a two-dimensional barn, apple tree, horizon, picketed fence and more.  The animations must include a falling apple, a rising sun and another animation of choice.  We will do our peer reviews this week before Thanksgiving vacation.

In Computer Programming II, students are working on their final project, a science simulation in which the user can collect and analyze data.  Students are also working on their assigned Python problems.

In AP Biology, classes have finished their study of replication, transcription and translation.  Tomorrow we will be working on gene expression ... lac and trp operons, as well as, eukaryotic gene expression and homeotic genes.  On return from Thanksgiving vacation, we will be have our Diffusion/Osmosis Lab ... students have the lab information to study in advance.

Thanksgiving vacation starts Wednesday ... Happy Thanksgiving to all!

No School Monday and Frost Flowers

No school for students Monday because of a teacher PD.  We will pick back up on Tuesday with the "B" schedule classes.  It was very cold this week and there were frost flowers in several fields ... pictures above.

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/common-plants-and-animals/wildflowers-and-grasses/frost-flowers

Computer Programming II have their first set of Python problems due on Tuesday.  These problems include some basic coding instructions ... print, for, input and counters.  We are still working on the last of our SCRATCH programs and the SCRATCH team project which is a science simulation that generates data.

AP Biology had their first test last week.  It was moderately difficult with many of the actual questions from AP Exams and AP Practice Exams.  We are now working on Chapters 14-15 ... Crick's Central Dogma ... Replication, Transcription and Translation (Protein Synthesis).  This will take us to Thanksgiving Vacation.  After Thanksgiving, we will have our Diffusion/Osmosis Lab.

After our Mousetrap Catapult for accuracy last week (picts below) in Selected Topics in Science, we will finish our lab report for this contest and continue our physics unit.  We had some great entries ... congrats to all!

In Computer Programming I, we are wrapping our our programmed farm science with three animated objects.  I will take some pictures and post them.  We will be in graphics until after Thanksgiving before moving on to single and two-dimensional arrays.

Genetics, Animation and a Catapult Contest

We will have our first test of the year in AP Biology test this Wednesday ... first 13 chapters of Raven and four labs.  We reviewed today (and last week) although some students were out of class for club schedule as they were out last week for the APES program where a few earned a few dollars (for three days of missed classes ... figure).  After Wednesday we will start our study of Crick's Central Dogma ... Replication, Transcription and Translation.  Our Diffusion / Osmosis lab is scheduled for next week.

The Selected Topics of Science class has started their physics unit.  Last week, we used pHET (University of Colorado) software to study projectile motion and wave analysis.  We started building mousetraps catapults for accuracy.  Students will shoot ten marshmellows in five minutes a distance of 12 feet into a 2 gallon bucket.  The mousetrap catapults must be triggered and cannot be held or pulled back by hand for release.  Students working on their catapults below.

 

 



In Computer Programming I, we are programming graphics and animation of objects using FOR/NEXT, LINE and CIRCLE commands.  Students are using colors in their farm scene presentations.  We will work all week on this project.

Computer Programming II have several projects going on at the same time.  We are finishing a couple of SCRATCH projects and working on some simple Python programs.  We will check our first Python programs starting tomorrow.  Computer Programming II students working below ...

The rest of the week appears nearly free of classroom interruptions.  We will have Student Voice surveys this week during out Pride Time .... which will shorten the first two blocks of each day.  Tomorrow is the Veteran's Day program ... taking some instruction time from second block.

Cold spell on the way at the end of this week which means the few blooming plants we have left will be finished for the year.  Still seeing a few butterflies but  no Monarchs ... season ends.

Enzyme Catalysis Lab, Astronomy and Python ...

Above ... sunrise before school one day last week ...

AP Biology will meet this week Monday and Wednesday.  The Ezyme Catalysis lab, which included a titration to measure the amount of hydrogen peroxide remaining after time trials using catalase, was last week (see picts below).  This lab writeup is due tomorrow except for those that were not in class Wednesday.  We will wrap up our study of genetics this week before having a test next Monday.  Our discussion questions tomorrow are over Chapters 12-13.

 

 

Selected Topics moves on to a Physics Unit on Thursday.  We will start with speed and acceleration.  We have several labs in this unit including our catapult for accuracy lab, electromagnetic lab and Super Structure lab.  We will be studying physics until Chrismas.

Computer Programming I is working on programmed graphics and animation.  We are working this week on our Ol' MacDonald had a farm problem in which students program a farm scene with three animated objects ... sun rises, apple falls from a tree and their choice.

Computer Programming II has several projects going on.  We will not meet this week until Thursday and Friday.  We are still wrapping up SCRATCH programs and have several python programs assigned for next week.  Students in Computer II working below on the Raspberry Pi, SCRATCH and python.